Remote Does Not Mean Isolated

We are living in a time of the remote workforce.

Some of us are in the office full time, others part time, others not at all. It has become a continuing trend leaders are still getting used to. The word remote doesn’t always sound that great yet it has its moments for periods of time. I love a remote island for a vacation, then I love to come back to the city. I don’t want to be too isolated for an extended period of time. Remote work has not felt like a vacation, especially for parents with young children.

Remote teams can be powerful and effective.

For instance, my team has been remote for over 10 years. We’ve never had the chance to work together in an office and in many ways, that has strengthened our team bond. I will say in the early days of running a remote team I was concerned and had to establish new ways to hone my delegating skill sets since I was accustomed to working with a team in my office.

Today, we spend dedicated time on our team meetings to talk about life and kids and challenges and successes.

If you aren’t used to having a remote team, you will need to be more intentional about these check-ins. There won’t be a minute in the hallway to chat or a few minutes after a meeting to have a conversation.

Connection may feel different, because you don’t have the luxury of being in-person and feeling the energy of a room, but you can still stay in touch, stay on the same page and stay in vision together.

There is also a big misconception that working from home equates to less productivity.

While that may be the case for a few, as we’ve witnessed this past year, men and women alike are thriving in their home offices.

As we move forward in 2021, there are many questions and opinions about going back to the office. I believe we are going to go back to a hybrid environment. In creating your hybrid culture, here are some things to consider.

I’ve talked to many leaders who are happily surprised on how well their teams are working outside of the office. Trust in your people. Know them and encourage them to know themselves. Some people are more productive at the office while others have great productivity at home. As long as the work gets done, be open.

We are all human and we are all BUSY. Whether it’s running the kids to school, or taking care of an elderly parent or volunteering in the community - work is just one part of our lives. Ensure your team knows you value their time and be open to suggestions. Great leaders are great listeners.

Maybe working a few hours on a Saturday or Sunday works better for someone than a weekday due to a conflict. So, if it is possible in your business, let them! Maybe the kids have soccer early on Wednesdays, so they need to start earlier in the day. Why not? This 9-5 mentality has to go away.

Remote working has also helped people eliminate their commute, so they get that extra time in the morning, which is often so vital to prepare for the day. I meditate and work out a lot more now that I am not running around the City and it’s been a game changer.